In case you thought Team Ninja's former boss, Tomonobu Itagaki, was leaving game publisher Tecmo as a solo act of attrition, think again. If that act was a single shot across Tecmo's bow, here comes the fusillade. Word on the street is that key members of Team Ninja -- as many as three dozen or more -- are headed out the door as well, but that's not all. It seems that each one of the soon to be ex-ninjas will be serving Tecmo with a class-action lawsuit in regards to unpaid bonuses for completed games.

While Tecmo has fired back, stating, "Tecmo would like to assure its loyal fans that Team Ninja, known for its top-selling and critically acclaimed Ninja Gaiden and Dead or Alive franchises, is intact and, as a matter of fact, has several new projects already underway," one has to wonder just how many people are left that truly constitute the development group known as 'Team Ninja.' Journey was never the same after Steve Perry left, but imagine what it'd be like without the whole band. Yes, Tecmo still owns the IPs and can freely make all the Ninja Gaiden and Dead or Alive games/ports it wants to, with or without Team Ninja (Dimps, we're looking at you), but what will these games be without the people who made them hits?

Another problem for Tecmo is that in Japan, any lawsuit filed against a publicly-traded company must be immediately reported to its shareholders on the same business day. The fact that Itagaki had actually filed a complaint against Tecmo in Tokyo District Court on May 14, but Tecmo management withheld this information from shareholders, possibly as late as when the notorious developer released his high-profile public statement on June 2, creates even bigger problems for the game publisher.

We'll have more on this drama as it unfolds, but with this peek into the myriad facets of Japanese law, it looks like Tecmo's shareholders better brace for even more bad news.

Source: http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3168238

I for one find this apauling and will also be "leaving" Tecmo, in the sense that I will not purchase anything from them ever again.

Wah!

The way I see it, which is from a outside veiw.

Team Ninja was given those flexible hours since they were such a good game producer. They abused that and did not take the extra time with there games (well discluding SIGMA)on the 360.

I doubt the adoption rate of DOA4(Itagaki said DOA4 was the pinncale, lol, we the fans and reviewers thought otherwise/Itagakis opinion is not mine) with 360's was high. Team Ninja has been "acting" like Itagaki for the last 4 years and we as fans have had to pay. Really, I have been dissapointed with the last few iterations of games.

TECMO gave Tomonobu tooooo much power. We all have to work. Im at work right now.

NG2 is a death knell not a swan song.

Tecmo will do just fine without the lot...

I do love Team Ninja games but I belive they started beliveing there own BS.

NGS2 and a DOA for PS3 this year would be great to the fans. Im sure TECMO will gain more fans on the PS3 too.

I obviously wasn't there, but this article seems to be about them taking extra time and not getting paid. If I was working overtime and not getting paid I'd start slacking too. I could be wrong, Itagaki does seem pretty arrogant. That doesn't excuse the fact that they weren't being paid properly or the fact that Tecmo broke the law by not informing the public of the suit.
The company acting in this way is why I take offense and will not support them anymore. This has nothing to do with Itagaki. They could've done this to their janitors and I'd feel the same way. Itagaki and the rest of Team Ninja may be arrogant and all, but obviously Tecmo is too. You don't treat employees in that way. It's dissrespectful and not something I will condone.

Well I have to ask myself...

When Itagaki had this paperwork submitted did he try to play head games with the staff and act like he was staying. Did he keep having brunch with the pres and act like freinds?

I still say the chance of them abusing there priveleges is about 99% with a Itagaki leading the show...

Just bring more games like SIGMA TECMO.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: SHOGUN 0,

The question that doesn't get answered is this, did they have permission to take overtime. In most jobs, you just don't do that. You have to have permission by the boss to go overtime. If they didn't get that permission, then they aren't entitled to any pay.

In fact that would be Team Ninja trying to screw the company. I mean if anyone was handed a blank check on overtime, all they would have to do is go a little slower and be able to go straight into overtime and get more money out of the company. I think Temco needs to replace all of them and get people that do the right thing.

That's a good point. It may not have been ok'd. There's nothing said about that.

quote:

Originally posted by Cainchild:
The question that doesn't get answered is this, did they have permission to take overtime. In most jobs, you just don't do that. You have to have permission by the boss to go overtime. If they didn't get that permission, then they aren't entitled to any pay.

In fact that would be Team Ninja trying to screw the company. I mean if anyone was handed a blank check on overtime, all they would have to do is go a little slower and be able to go straight into overtime and get more money out of the company. I think Temco needs to replace all of them and get people that do the right thing.

They need to tighten up thats for sure...

Cainchild,

Within the US, each state regulates their labor laws independently, with a set of Federal rules keeping the states in check. Regardless of the state you live in, if you work the hours then you must get paid. Management can then reprimand/terminate you for working hours that you weren't scheduled, but they still MUST pay you for hours worked. Any manager that tells you different might be a liability to your company. The best way to find out your State Labor laws is probably by searching it out on the net, but you could probably ask your HR about how unscheduled overtime is handled.

That being said, Japan is probably WAY different than the US, and I don't have a clue how things work over there.


Just my $0.02.

empty!